New York Times cuts inch and a half to save costs

Wednesday 19 July 2006 02.11 EDT
First published on Wednesday 19 July 2006 02.11 EDT

The New York Times is following the international trend towards smaller newspapers by cutting the size of its broadsheet pages in an effort to keep the lid on soaring newsprint costs.

The paper intends to reduce the width of its pages from 13.5in to 12in (about 34cm to 30.5cm), in line with slimmer competitors such as USA Today. The change is part of a cost-cutting programme which involves the closure of one of its two printing presses and the loss of 250 production jobs.

Known as the Old Grey Lady, the New York Times sells 1.1m copies on weekdays and 1.7m on Sundays. Although its circulation has remained steady over the past five years, its profits have been held back by the cost of newsprint, which has risen by 7% over the past three months. Its parent, the New York Times Company, owns the International Herald Tribune, the Boston Globe and a string of websites and local TV stations. The company's newspaper division yesterday announced a 13% fall in second-quarter operating profits to $93.1m (nearly £51m).

In a statement, the group's chief executive, Janet Robinson, said the downsizing would not mean a drop in quality: "Our research has shown that readers, particularly young readers and commuters, prefer the smaller size. We are confident readers and advertisers will embrace this update and continue to look to the New York Times, whether print or online, for the highest quality journalism."

However, the paper's executive editor, Bill Keller, disclosed that the change would mean a 5% reduction in the amount of space devoted to news.

Established in 1851, the New York Times has gone through one of the most turbulent periods in its history since the unmasking of a rogue reporter, Jayson Blair, three years ago. The paper's largely liberal slant clashes frequently with the White House, which recently attacked it for disclosing the details of a government programme to track the finances of suspected terrorists.